Perseid School - Lower School

Perseid School offers pupils an outstanding educational provision and a caring environment in which to reach their potential. We work with young people, aged 3-19, who have severe and complex learning difficulties and learners with an additional diagnosis of autism and/or physical/sensory difficulties.We are extremely proud of our school, the achievements of our pupils, the expertise and dedication of our staff, outstanding facilities and our reputation as a centre of excellence.At Perseid, we pride ourselves on the achievements of our students, the expertise of our staff, our outstanding facilities and our reputation as a centre of excellence.

Our mission to inspire learners to achieve high standards is implemented by teachers, teaching assistants and support staff across our primary and secondary school campuses; both of which are equipped with specialist support and facilities appropriate to the age range. To ensure that the needs of every child and young person are met, classes are small and systems and teamwork are strong and robust throughout the school.

Pupils are able to flourish in our dedicated facilities and alongside strong professional teams; this enables us to trail blaze holistic learning. From bright, spacious classrooms, fully equipped indoor and outdoor play areas, to our inviting hydrotherapy pools and purpose built dance studio, learners are provided with the opportunity to explore their talents and shine in areas that they most enjoy.

Our school community, supported by a highly committed governing body, is determined that each student receives an individual, rich and finely tuned education, within a happy, thriving environment. Our continuous efforts to maintain high standards have been reflected in three consecutive ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted awards – we are delighted that inspectors have recognised the qualities that make our school Outstanding, once again.
We believe that we all learn best when we enjoy what we do. Our aim, therefore, is that all our pupils should reach their potential through a curriculum that is enjoyable, interactive and creative and which enables them to develop in a way and at a pace that is appropriate to them.

We inspire learning through excellent teaching, and our staff hold consistently high expectations of themselves and of pupils. Our curriculum is designed to take account of pupils’ abilities, interests and experiences and our teaching maximises pupils’ preferred learning styles. Lessons are delivered through a combination of groupings, such as whole class, small group, paired and individual sessions. Key Learning Targets are set to meet specific priority needs. Ongoing assessment of pupil progress and achievements is central to challenging and extending learning further.

The curriculum content for the Perseid School is highly personalised for each pupil and is available from the school office.The curriculum at Perseid School is adapted from the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, the National Curriculum and the Foundation Learning Framework, to provide for the academic and personal development of pupils with complex learning difficulties.From the earliest years, pupils are taught with a programme designed to meet their needs, derived from the full curriculum. Every child has a Key Learning Target Plan which identifies their learning priorities and specialist teaching strategies. Throughout the school, key emphasis is placed on communication skills.

At the heart of the curriculum is the development of functional independence. From the earliest years onwards, pupils are taught appropriate self-help skills with an emphasis on the necessary communication and behaviour to work and play happily with others in a group and, as pupils get older, in community activities.The Arts (drama, dance, music and art) play an important role in supporting self expression, appreciation and community access.

All our pupils aged 3 – 5 years old work from the Early Years Foundation Stage 0 – 5 curriculum. In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils follow the National Curriculum adapted with appropriate learning experiences for each child’s age and ability.Many subjects are taught through a play based or themed approach and all children in the Lower School have music, drama, swimming and PE lessons each week. Literacy and numeracy are taught on a daily basis.

At Key Stages 1 and 2, we teach our pupils about the world around them, aiming to give them a sense of their unique identity. We explore their relationships with each other and the wider community.We strongly advocate a healthy lifestyle, being active and learning to be as independent as possible. Daily exercise programmes and access to play facilities ensure our pupils have fun and are as active as they can be. We have an emphasis on healthy eating, ensuring, for example, that pupils have healthy snacks. We provide special diets as required, through liaison with the school nurse, parents, carers and dietician.

At Key Stage 3 we build on learning from Key Stage 2, and continue to teach many subjects through a themed approach. Full use is made of the specialised teaching areas: food technology; science; music; fitness suite; the dance/drama studio; sports hall; the pool and ICT suite.At Key Stage 4 and in the 6th Form, our emphasis is on a broad and enriching curriculum, leading to external accreditation. Pupils’ interests and strengths are reflected in the curriculum we offer, for example the Trinity Guildhall Arts Award and Media Studies.

There are increasing opportunities for our pupils to take part in enterprise education and work experience.Strong links are in place with post-school providers and pupils in the 6th Form are usually able to take part in a link placement to their chosen college or further education establishment.As in the Lower School, our Upper School curriculum strongly advocates a healthy lifestyle. Pupils are able to put this into practice through healthy eating choices, sport and leisure options and specialist subjects, such as hair and beauty therapy, hospitality and catering and environmental learning.

Our 6th Form is open to years 12, 13 and 14. We run a rich vocational curriculum with an emphasis on key skills and opportunities for work experience. All students leave our 6th Form with nationally accreditised qualifications and move on to a range of further educational placements, according to need.

Perseid School is fortunate in having a dedicated Governing Body that follows exemplary procedures in fulfilling its statutory duties. The effectiveness of the Governing Body was recognised with the award of the national Governor Quality Mark in June 2010, renewed in Autumn 2013. The school thanks each member of the governing body for their support and diligence in governing our chool.

We strongly support the partnership between parents and school, believing that this is vital to achieving the best outcomes for pupils. We are passionate about involving families in their child’s education and in the life of the school.We encourage parents to be fully involved in school through our home/school diary system, half termly newsletters, school website, individual parent/teacher conferencing, the Annual Review and parent workshops, as well as special performances and events. Building good partnerships is important to us and we encourage parents to contact us if there is anything they would like to discuss.